Daily reflection _ Eucharist leads us to eternal life

EUCHARIST LEADS US TO ETERNAL LIFE

There is no greater proof in love than the sacrifice of one's life for the sake of another.  
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
A new way of love! That is what Jesus gives us in the new Commandment; we are to love others as He loved us. What is the essence of this new Commandment? Its core is rooted in the fact that true love is sacrificial; it gives all to the beloved! There is no greater proof in love than the sacrifice of one's life for the sake of another. Jesus Christ proved His love by giving His life for us. He knew the joy and contentment of a life fully surrendered to God and consumed with the ultimate gift of love.
Every command that God has given to us, either what to do or what to refrain from doing, is for our well being. As expressed by Preface IV in the Liturgy, "For, although You have no need of our praise, yet our thanksgiving is itself Your gift..." All that our heavenly Father asks of us is to improve the quality of our lives during our journey. The quality of our life matters to Him just as the well-being of every creature matters.  Isn't the whole Bible filled with evidence of how God wants to take part in each of our lives in order that He might show us how to follow the right path?
We hear St. Peter preaching in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. The rules and laws that the Jews were saddled with before the coming of Jesus were a burden to them. All the manmade rules had become too heavy for them. With that in mind, our willingness to follow the Commandments is best understood as an expression of our gratitude for Christ's Eucharistic Presence leading us to eternal life.
In today's Responsorial Psalm we boldly acclaim, "Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations" (Ps. 96:3). We sing a new song and bless His name throughout the world! May we keep the combination of love, obedience, and joy intact.
Let us remember that keeping the Commandments is an expression of love!